Sempra signs Cameron LNG capacity deal

March 13, 2006
Sempra LNG has signed a 15-year agreement with Merrill Lynch Commodities Inc. to provide 3.7 million tonnes/year of LNG capacity through its Cameron LNG terminal under development near Lake Charles, La.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 13 -- Sempra LNG has signed a 15-year agreement with Merrill Lynch Commodities Inc. to provide 3.7 million tonnes/year of LNG capacity through its Cameron LNG terminal under development near Lake Charles, La.

The agreement depends on completion of LNG supply arrangements by Merrill Lynch Commodities.

Sempra LNG would service the capacity agreement from either the first phase of the Cameron LNG development, which is to be completed in 2008, or its proposed expansion, which could be completed in 2010.

Sempra LNG has received approval from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to begin the prefiling process to expand the Cameron LNG receipt terminal's throughput capacity to 2.65 bcfd of natural gas from 1.5 bcfd. Construction for the expansion could begin as early as next year.

In 2005, Sempra LNG signed a 20-year agreement to provide Eni SPA with 600 MMcfd of capacity in the Cameron LNG terminal (OGJ, Aug. 8, 2005, Newsletter). These capacity agreements combined account for 1.1 bcfd of natural gas through the Louisiana facility.